Restrain means to hold yourself back, which is exactly what you'd have to do if, after weeks of dieting, you found yourself face to face with a dessert case filled with pies, cakes, and cookies.

Pronunciation: /rɪ'stren/

English description:hold back

Synonyms: constrain

Chinese Translation: 抑制(yi4 zhi4)

Spanish Translation: contener

ORIGIN: Restrain can also mean to restrict or hold back someone else, to prevent someone from doing what they're intending to do. Prison guards have to restrain a prisoner who is trying to attack one of his fellow inmates. That prisoner might even be put in handcuffs — a kind of restraint. You can restrain yourself, for example if you're watching a Broadway show and suddenly feel the urge to sing along. Your fellow audience members would be grateful for your restraint, especially if you've got a terrible voice.

EXAMPLE SENTENCE:

The scientists first restrain the animals in snugly fitting bags and blindfold them, a method that calms the animals and eliminates the need for tranquilizers.

But she was as restrained in her ambitions as she was disciplined.

*New word description, story and part of "EXAMPLE SENTENCE" are cited in Vocabulary.com

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